Austria rejects Bulgaria, wants Romania’s Schengen deal

Photo: AP Photo

Austria said on Thursday that EU members Romania and Bulgaria would refuse to join the passportless Schengen zone, with tensions escalating further after the Netherlands said it would reject Bulgaria’s membership.

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner has said he opposes Romania and Bulgaria’s membership, according to AFP news agency.

The Netherlands said last week it would reject Bulgaria’s application to join the bloc because of corruption issues that still need to be resolved. Votes must be unanimous.

EU interior ministers met on Thursday to approve Croatia’s accession to the bloc. The Schengen Area comprises 22 of the 27 EU member states, plus Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.

“The Netherlands and Austria are trying to overcome their domestic problems through a position against Bulgaria, but it should be clearly pointed out that this is not a European position. “Our response will be according to what we receive,” he said. Euronews Bulgaria on tuesday.

The European Union’s Commissioner for Migration and Asylum, Margaritis Skinath, told AD in an interview on Thursday that there were “no objective reasons” for denying access to Bulgaria.

“Romania and Bulgaria did everything we asked for,” he said. “These countries are better prepared than some Schengen countries.”